Summer Camps

Another great way to gain experience as well as create contacts is to work summer camps. Coaches from all over have summer camps that are always needing extra help.
Duties at camp's could be anything from setting up equipment to on court coaching. No matter what they have you do it is great experience as well as creating contacts. If you do a great job, you could get noticed by the coaching staff and who knows, they may contact you about a job someday.
A way to get these opportunities is to contact the offices of the school you wish to work with. You can find the email and phone numbers on the school's athletic department's website. Give them your information and what you would like to do, and someone from the department should get back to you and let you know what to do. This is just another tip to help you become your best and insure coaching is in your future!



Great Resources for Coaches to Read

Over the past six months I have been diving into some great books for coaches and people going into coaching to read and learn from. My wife was extremely surprised that I picked up reading because just prior I had always dreaded it. I am a very determined person to learn and gain knowledge in any way I can, and there are some great resources in book form.
I am a firm believer that you can learn from great coaches even if they are not from the particular sport that you are coaching or wanting to get into. There are leadership skills as well as techniques that are transferable between the sporting world. One book I would strongly suggest would be: "Called to Coach" by Bobby Bowden, the long time football coach of the Florida State Seminoles. Coach Bowden goes into great depth of how he got into coaching, and how he moved up the coaching ladder. He offers great leadership advice and great ways to relate to players. A very easy read and I think you will enjoy.



The second resource I would suggest is: "Coach Wooden" by Pat Williams. This book goes into the 7 philosophies that 10 time national champion coach John Wooden lived by during his tenure at UCLA. These are great philosophies to go by no matter what you are planning to coach. Another easy read and a great resource.



Two more books that I will share I have not yet had the chance to read but were suggested by a coach that I have a great deal of respect for, coach Shaka Smart of VCU. The first is: "Toughness" by Jay Bilas. The second is: "Know Yourself as a Coach" by Danny Kuiper. I plan on reading both of these in the very near future and I would bet very helpful to anyone wanting to gain knowledge in coaching. These are just a few resources to help your coaching in the future!

2013 Nike Coaches Clinic

My father has always taught me that if you want to find success in whatever you are doing, look to people that have been successful before you.  Study them, and learn all you can from them.  I have taken this advice in watching videos and reading books from some of the great coaches whom I have a lot of respect for.  This past weekend I took a great opportunity to learn from some of the biggest names in collegiate coaching first hand by going to a coaching clinic sponsored by Nike in Tunica, Mississippi.

For I believe nine years now, Nike has been putting on these coaching clinics for coaches who want to learn more.  They bring in successful coaches to come and put on these clinics for coaches to take notes and learn from some of the best.  So this past weekend I left my home in Malvern, Arkansas and set out towards Tunica.  I was very excited as this was my first coaching clinic to attend.  I met one of my coaching buddies from high school down there and we were set for the weekend. 

The clinic was held at the Harrah's Casino in Tunica.  They had some beautiful facilities on their property and was a great place to host this event.  This year's lineup hosted from great speakers.  I got to hear form coaches like 2 time national champion Billy Donovan of the Florida Gators, 2011 final four coach Shaka Smart of Virginia Commonwealth, Mike Anderson from the Arkansas Razorbacks, Jamie Dixon from Pittsburgh, among many others.  This was a great place to make contacts and meet some great coaches and get information.  I would highly recommend for anyone going into coaching to attend one of these Nike clinics or go to one similiar to them. 

Me and VCU's Shaka Smart

Nike will host two more coaching clinics in the springs of 2013.  May 10-12 there will be one in Las Vegas, NV and then May 17 & 18 there will be another one in Verona, NY.  If there is any way to make it to either of those I would strongly suggest it.  I learned so much this past weekend and cannot wait until next year's clinic.  Nike is also talking about having four clinics in the fall.  Once I get those dates and locations, I will blog about those as well, and I will be attending at least one.  All information about Nike's clinics as well as other resources can be found at www.basketballcoach.com. This is a great website with a lot of great information for coaches and future coaches alike.  Go check out some information on this website and remember this is just another way to insure that coaching is in your future!